The job market in the Sultanate of Oman has evolved in recent years thanks to the ambitious role the country’s education has been playing under Oman Vision 2040 objectives. Demographic analysis suggests that youth under the age of 29 years represent almost 60 per cent of the Omani population. By 2030, the country will see about 40,000 young people below the age of 24 entering the job market as first-time job-seekers. What is more significant is that 94 per cent of Omani girls receive education, helping boost women's employment. Women now comprise 32 per cent of the total Omani workforce. Oman’s leadership under His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik realises that the country’s young human capital is its best economic asset. As a result, Oman Vision 2040 has kept youngsters at the centre of every development goal while emphasising the need for their education. “Youth are the wealth of a nation, its inexhaustible resource and the arms that build it. They are its present and future. We will always listen to them, and sense their needs, interests and aspirations, which will definitely be accorded the attention that they deserve,” His Majesty said in his speech on February 23, 2020.
The accomplishment of his vision comes as the National Innovation Strategy to develop a knowledge-based society and talented national cadres, which will focus on converting knowledge into economic revenue. The government has already started several programmes, including a training system for professional development, diversification of its sources and linking them to the job market, the establishment of scientific research centres, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the curricula and supporting innovative start-ups. The vocational and technical education allows students to enrol after completing the tenth year of school. The system focuses on providing students with the knowledge and skills needed for employment or entry into the higher education system, where they can get more training. What is to be remembered is that the success of all initiatives depends on how effectively education helps identify and promote the skills of the young Omani students. Reports suggest that a strong workforce could mean a higher unemployment rate in the future. A recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast that around 550,000 Omanis will enter the workforce within the next eight years, creating a need for increased employment opportunities, particularly in the private sector. Oman’s reliance on the public sector as a primary employer is unsustainable, the report states, especially given fiscal constraints and efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on hydrocarbon revenues. While the private sector has expanded, it continues to rely heavily on low-cost expatriate labour, which accounts for 86 per cent of private-sector jobs. “While 56 per cent of the Omani workforce finds employment within the private sector, public sector jobs remain a favourable destination for Omanis given the continued job security, higher remuneration, and more relaxed work arrangements,” the report points out. However, the report stated that employment among Omanis in the private sector is more diversified, with significant participation in the construction, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. But looking ahead, the report said Oman’s economic diversification under Oman Vision 2040 will create high-skilled job opportunities for Omanis. Thus, Oman is doing all the right things to ensure that it creates the most conducive environment for prosperity and development. The government is keen to learn from the experience of other nations in encouraging a strong start-up sector.
The leadership believes that a vibrant start-up community is central to the country’s ambitious plans for growth and sustainable development goals. Subsequently, several start-ups have arrived in the Omani industrial scene in the recent past.
The writer is a freelance journalist and author who worked in Oman and India
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
